Is leaving a formal postbacc lethal for US schools?

[nyph134]

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Hi all, I hope this is the appropriate forum for this question. Really seeking advice since I am on the fence about leaving my postbacc program.

I'm a (mostly) career-changer, late 20s, URM, with prior graduate study. I am partway through a formal postbacc, and I'm considering dropping out because the cost is placing a huge financial strain on me.

I am self-funding and using some federal (mostly subsidized) loans, but finishing the program and paying tuition and the cost of living for the next ~10 months will completely deplete my savings. Working during the program is not an option, and neither is spreading the classes out to work part-time, since the program has to be completed in one calendar year. I've applied for external scholarships, but haven't heard back yet.

My biggest dilemma about leaving the program is worries about how it would look to schools. My undergrad gpa was not horrible (3.53, 3.41 BCPM based on only a few credits), but I have many Ws, including a semester of Ws in premed courses and one retake. I have a 4.0 in the postbacc so far, which I obviously want to maintain.

If I leave the program, there are two large state universities near me, but their classes are huge and I don't believe I would do as well in that kind of environment. I've found the support of the post-bacc program and the cohort structure extremely helpful so far. The community college near me is highly rated and has a lot of course sections and times, making it the most feasible to do while working. But would completing prereqs at a community college after leaving a formal postbacc program completely close the door on US schools, given my undergrad record?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

What do your postbac advisors say? Have you asked their financial aid team?

 

[anon2]

It's a postbacc, not a SMP, so I can't see leaving being lethal per se. Your UG GPA doesn't even really need a postbacc unless you're missing prereqs; a decent MCAT >507 and you're already competitive for DO with a shot at MD.

The real questions: you mentioned you do well with the support in the postbacc, so what's the overall financial plan? Ultimately, med school is itself >4 years of high stakes, outside work-unfriendly FT study at extremely high cost.

 

[nyph134]

What do your postbac advisors say? Have you asked their financial aid team?

I haven't spoken to the financial aid team recently, but I will do that! I do know that unfortunately, they don't offer any aid besides loans, which are now capped at $12,500/year for undergraduate. I borrowed $5500 for the summer semester and can borrow another $12.5k for the next semester, which leaves me to pay the rest of the tuition (another $13k) out of pocket or take out private loans. I don't want to do the latter before med school. I am going to talk to the program director and ask again about extending my timeline so I can work part time.

 

[nyph134]

It's a postbacc, not a SMP, so I can't see leaving being lethal per se. Your UG GPA doesn't even really need a postbacc unless you're missing prereqs; a decent MCAT >507 and you're already competitive for DO with a shot at MD.

The real questions: you mentioned you do well with the support in the postbacc, so what's the overall financial plan? Ultimately, med school is itself >4 years of high stakes, outside work-unfriendly FT study at extremely high cost.

Yeah, I'm doing this program because I didn't take any of the prereqs in undergrad except one semester of biology and some stats courses (I was a non-science major and then got an MPH, and didn't fully realize I wanted to do medicine until my late twenties). I looked into doing it DIY but really wanted smaller classes and the structure and support offered by a formal postbacc.

I understand the costs and sacrifices involved in med school, but because I truly don't feel like I'd be happy doing any other career (including the one I've had since leaving undergrad), it feels worth it to me to make it work regardless of the financial strain. Of course, prior to this year, I'd been counting on the idea of being able to borrow the full cost of attendance in federal loans since that has been the norm for at least 30 years. Now, I'm hoping to be able to put together a good enough application to get into schools that give a decent amount of aid, and barring that, max my federal loans and borrow privately for the rest.

I'm also planning to get a job in my previous field for the year after finishing the postbacc/while applying to med school. My career has been in public health so I've never had high-paying jobs, but I live in a LCOL area and have always been a good saver, so think I could save a chunk of money. In addition to my cash savings, I also have around $40k in stocks and retirement savings that I think I could use if needed.